Soort tamboerijn en twee fluiten before 1828

This drawing of a tambourine and flutes was made by Pierre Félix van Doren, likely in the first half of the 19th century. It is executed with graphite on paper, modest materials that allow for a quick and precise delineation of forms. The lines are delicate, almost like a technical drawing, yet the subject is fanciful: a tambourine with small bells and flutes, all tied up with ribbons. This combination of precision and whimsy is telling. Perhaps van Doren was involved in the design or production of musical instruments. Consider the care and skill required to make such objects, often by anonymous craftspeople. Their labor, like the work of the artist, often goes unnoticed. This drawing invites us to appreciate the making of things, both humble and delightful. It challenges us to hear the echoes of craft in fine art, and vice versa.